'I think that's ridiculous': Blues coach Leon MacDonald, All Blacks star react to World Rugby's proposed law changes
Blues head coach Leon MacDonald has dismissed law change proposals from World Rugby’s medical group in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus once the game is back up and running again.
The game’s global governing body has suggested that scrum re-sets and upright tackles should be scrapped, while also recommending that teams change jerseys, headgear and wash their hands at halftime.
Former All Blacks playmaker MacDonald rejected those concepts, though, as he highlighted that players and coaches are already doing as much as they can to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
“Look, if we play the game, we have to play it properly,” he said.
“We are taking all the right precautions and wherever possible, we will adhere to the safety recommendations, but once you get on the park and you’re tackling and all that, you have to be ready to play.
“It’s going to be a tough competition, so we have to make sure we are contact-ready, and just trying to get that balance right between safety and match-ready.
“I think we probably would have had a directive by now, if we were going to have no scrums, so we are expecting everything to look like rugby when we resume.”
That’s a sentiment shared by All Blacks and Chiefs halfback Brad Weber, who didn’t mince his words when asked about the potential law changes to the scrum.
“No, I think that’s ridiculous,” he said. “When you’re making tackles or cleaning out, it’s pretty much exactly the same.
“We may as well play touch rugby, if that’s what they’re suggesting.”
MacDonald, meanwhile, was excited by the prospect of deploying new star signing Beauden Barrett in the Blues’ first match of the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, which will be against his former side the Hurricanes at Eden Park in just over a fortnight.
“He’s a student of the game. He does his homework. He’s thorough. He likes to know his role and everyone around him. His preparation is meticulous. The way he prepares his body and kicks – he’s a real pro. He knows what he needs to do to perform,” MacDonald said.
“Ma’a [Nonu] was like that last year for us. Beauden spends as much time in the books as he does on the grass. The young guys are learning from that so you can’t put a figure on that mental shift.”
Super Rugby Aotearoa kicks-off between the Highlanders and Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on June 13.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
26 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
26 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
48 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
26 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
26 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
26 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
26 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
26 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments